Everyone loves fireworks; it is hard to imagine someone who cannot associate the magic of fireworks to a childhood memory, favorite holiday or great story. Often, when people recount their favorite fireworks memory, they remember their family’s summer vacation and the Tuesday night fireworks at Shelter Cove for HarbourFest Summer Celebration. After 27 years of sending fairy dust into the sky and watching everyone’s eyes light up, we figured it might be fun to give you the inside scoop.

How much really goes into setting up a fireworks show? You just light the fuse and let them do their thing, right?

We wish!

HarbourFest and Tuesday night fireworks begin in mid-June and continue through mid-August, but planning for the event begins immediately following the closing night of HarbourFest. Applications & Permits with a variety of law enforcement entities involved are required to stage such an event. We work closely with the Town of Hilton Head Island Fire Department, Beaufort County Sherriff’s office, the South Carolina State Fire Marshal’s office, SC Department of Natural Resources, etc. Once all the logistic & planning details are approved, the Tuesday night fireworks events are given the green light. The Shelter Cove HarbourFest event has been fortunate to have the continued and generous support of Greenwood Communities and Resorts, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, the Shelter Cove Harbour Merchants Association, the Town of Hilton Head Island & local business sponsors for many years and has received funding to help offset the cost of producing the shows, security, traffic management and facilities maintenance. This additional funding has helped sustain and keep this event going even through the economic downturn.

With six to eight months of planning complete, it is show time (literally!). Preparation for a Tuesday night fireworks show begins around 2:00pm with fireworks scheduled to shoot at dusk (usually 9:00-9:30pm). As is the case with all outdoor events, weather and safety conditions play a huge part in the execution of the event. Here in the South Carolina Lowcountry, afternoon thunderstorms are a frequent occurrence. The daily weather conditions and forecast are tracked constantly and they dictate when and if we can set-up a show.

On the show dates, the Fire Marshal & Marina Dockmaster are called by the pyrotechnic company to alert them of their arrival time at the designated location. Once the crew and marina team are assembled, a safe zone clearance of 50 feet is created around the area and boat where the fireworks are being moved. The pyrotechnic company and crew can then begin to transport more than 500 pounds of fireworks (the July 4th show generally exceeds 1,000 pounds of fireworks and entails an 8-10 hour set-up time) onto a boat which is then driven to the barge that is positioned outside the Shelter Cove Marina in Broad Creek.

The loaded vessel leaves the marina and makes the trip to the barge just a few miles away. All of the fireworks are then offloaded onto the barge, individually wired and covered, if necessary, in case of inclement weather. The fireworks crew then gets back on to the boat to shoot the fireworks remotely from a safe 100 yard distance from the barge. Two additional boats must secure the perimeter of the barge for additional safety measures until the end of the fireworks show.

The entire loading, unloading and set up process takes four to five hours, weather permitting. As mentioned, factors like rain, wind, lightening and even heat advisories can disrupt the set up of the show and cause a show delay or cancellation. Simply put, if there is a threat of severe weather or any inclement weather during the set-up or firing of a fireworks show, our staff has no choice but to delay or cancel the show.

We have faced nights where we had to cancel a show at 4:00pm because the fireworks crew cannot set up in thunder and lightning conditions. But when the weather clears and it is sunny and nice by 6:00pm, people want to know why on Earth the fireworks were cancelled. The answer? Safety. The safety of our staff and guests is our main priority and is not something we take lightly.

Trust us when we say there is no one more disappointed than our staff when a fireworks show is forced into cancellation. We speak to residents and visitors every week who tell us that the Tuesday night fireworks at HarbourFest is the event they look forward to the most every summer with their family. We hate to let these folks down, but unfortunately, sometimes the weather just doesn't cooperate.

We hope that by explaining the process of Tuesday night fireworks, guests, visitors and locals will gain a better understanding of the reasoning behind a cancelled show. No matter, the magic occurs every Tuesday night, mid-June to mid-August! … Weather permitting. : )

Summer is in full swing, and we love following along on your adventures! If you’re staying at Palmetto Dunes, tag your Instagram photos with #PalmettoDunes. There were so many great posts in June, it was nearly impossible to choose just five to highlight.

Instagramer @stillscapes shared this photo of one of San Miguel’s famous margaritas! What’s your vacation cocktail of choice? With seven different dining options at Shelter Cove Harbour, the options are plentiful!

Hold on… let me take a selfie! After all, you’ll want to remember the family fun you have at Palmetto Dunes. Instagramer @sheiswoven snapped this photo of her “canoe crew” while exploring our lagoon system.

Did you know that you can book canoes & kayaks online before your vacation? It’s true! Visit Hilton Head Outfitters for more info.

Why do Palmetto Dunes guests take the best sunrise and sunset photos? Because Hilton Head Island is home to the best sunrises and sunsets! Instagramer @mrs_gabby_photos snapped a pic of the gorgeous pink and purple sky while she was strolling along Palmetto Dunes Beach.

One of the best things about staying at Palmetto Dunes is being surrounded by nature. Twitter user @AroundIndy woke up to find these new friends right in his vacation home’s backyard!

Last but not least, we had to share this photo that Twitter user @TotalGolfTravel shared of the iconic Robert Trent Jones course! If you’ve golfed there before, we bet you know which hole this is. Take an online hole-by-hole tour!

Stay tuned for more guest photography from July! In the meantime, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram at Instagram.com/PalmettoDunesSC.

Fourteen years ago, when Scott George began organizing a bunch of friends to participate in a fun but competitive golf buddy trip, the group first tried Myrtle Beach. Unfortunately, they were not fond of the arduous drive off the beaten path simply to reach Myrtle Beach from their various homes around the London, KY area — nor were they wild about the long drives between golf courses once they arrived.

After a few years on the Grand Strand, they moved to the Lowcountry, tried a few other resorts and eventually ended up at the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island, where they have stayed in various villas and other homes while enjoying the trio of award-winning Palmetto Dunes golf courses designed by legends of the game.

“Our guys absolutely love Palmetto Dunes,” said George. “The golf courses are so close, it allows plenty of time between rounds. And the golf courses are always in great condition. Some of our guys like the Robert Trent Jones Course the best, some the Arthur Hills — and many like the Fazio Course the most. One of them even broke par last time on Fazio.”

George’s group has as many as 28 players — some fathers and sons, some old friends, some new — with mostly single-digit and low double-digit handicap golfers ranging in age from 27 all the way up to 71. “I told our 71-year-old he was going to need to get a physical,” said George with a laugh. Nevertheless, his “tournament,” now called the Hilton Head Open, or “H2O,” is no laughing matter — “We play for a pretty big purse,” said George — including numerous “games within the game.”

“It’s a good thing I’m an accountant,” George says.

As he prepares to round up the troops and head out for the 2015 event, now enjoying its third year at Palmetto Dunes, George said the resort has won him over for life. He even brought his entire family to Palmetto Dunes on a recent spring break trip. “The folks at Palmetto Dunes knew we were coming back, and they even comped some of our golf during the trip,” said George. “That shows the type place Palmetto Dunes is. They want you there, and it shows.”

Did you visit Palmetto Dunes last month? If so, we hope you shared photos from your trip! Tag your photos #PalmettoDunes, and you might see them shared on our social channels, or here on this blog!

Instagramer @101ThingsILove shared this photo and said “Hard to get sick of this view.” Truer words were never spoken! That’s why guests love returning to Palmetto Dunes year after year.

Don’t you just love a good round of golf on a sunny Spring day? We have three incredible courses for you to play. Instagramer @jasonphess snapped this photo while playing the Robert Trent Jones course.

Time flies when you’re having fun! Harry S. and his family went on an eight-mile bike ride during their vacation. You can make your vacation even easier by booking your bicycles online, and having them delivered before you arrive.

Wow, doesn’t this look like heaven? Sunrise at Palmetto Dunes Beach is so peaceful. Instagramer @elfernandoville posted this gorgeous shot. What’s your favorite time to take a stroll on the beach?

Gator alert! You’ll see plenty of wildlife when you stay at Palmetto Dunes. @Zalesc shared this awesome photo with us on Twitter.

Thanks to everyone who shared their photos with us last month! Don’t forget, tag your photos with #PalmettoDunes on Instagram and Twitter to share them with us, or come find us on Facebook! We’ll highlight five more photos next month.

Vacations shouldn’t be go, go, go. They should be slow, slow, slow. Here on Hilton Head Island, we travel at our own pace. And when you vacation at Palmetto Dunes, you do too. You’re living on island time now.

This summer, tag your Palmetto Dunes vacation photos or videos with #MyIslandTime on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. You could win another stay at our resort this fall!

Make sure you visit hiltonheadisland.org/myislandtime to enter the contest. If you win, you’ll receive a three-night stay at Palmetto Dunes, with complimentary bicycle and kayak rentals!

Summer is back at Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina and there are so many ways to make your friends jealous of your Hilton Head Island lifestyle or vacation! Sometimes, as locals, we forget how lucky we are to live on such a beautiful island – until we are sipping on one of the infamous margaritas from San Miguel’s, listening to live entertainment while the sun sets over Broad Creek. And visitors – we know you have been counting down the days until the Saturday morning when you cross the bridge onto Hilton Head Island for you well-deserved getaway. What better way is there to commemorate your trip than posting spectacular photos for all of your friends and family to see?

During the month of June, we invite locals and visitors alike to post photos with #ShelterCoveHarbour for a chance to win a gift certificate from one of the six waterfront restaurants or shops in the harbour. We will choose our favorite photo each Friday during the month of June and notify you via social media! Happy Hashtagging from your friends @Shelter Cove Harbour!

Follow @PalmettoDunesSC for the latest info and photos from #ShelterCoveHarbour

Big Jim’s was voted Best Burger AND Best BBQ. If you’ve never been, plan a visit next time you’re on Hilton Head Island! It’s located at the Robert Trent Jones Course. We have a happy hour every day from 4-7pm, and great daily specials.

Shelter Cove Marina was also named the Best Marina on Hilton Head Island. Everyone who’s been to Hilton Head Island before knows it’s a must-visit place during vacation! You’ll find fishing charters, nature excursions, power boat rentals and more.

Last but not least, Palmetto Dunes also tied for Best Resort on Hilton Head Island! But hey – don’t take everyone else’s word for it. Plan your visit so you can discover exactly what makes Palmetto Dunes the best of the Lowcountry! Click here to find the perfect vacation package for you. See y’all soon!

Palmetto Dunes helps ring in National Bike Month by becoming the first East Coast oceanfront resort to offer “The Golf Bike.” Allows golfers to play at the speed of a cart, while getting paid back in fun and fitness.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.- Just in time for National Bike Month, golfers playing Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort's trio of award-winning courses can now pedal from hole to hole versus taking a golf cart or hoofing it.

The first resort in the Carolinas and along the East Coast to offer the revolutionary new “Golf Bike,” Palmetto Dunes visitors can boost their calorie-burning quotient while teeing it up on some of the South's most beautiful and challenging courses — including one of Hilton Head Island’s two oceanfront layouts.

Indeed, bicycling has long been renowned as one of Hilton Head’s most versatile activities. More than one million bikers annually enjoy the island’s 50 miles of paved, winding bike paths — including five miles within Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort itself — or along Hilton Head’s pristine beaches.

Now, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is taking bicycling to the links, helping celebrate National Bike Month in May with the initial delivery of Golf Bikes.

Palmetto Dunes received nine of the first 100 Golf Bikes being delivered this month across the country which allows golfers the ability to play at the speed of a cart while getting paid back with fun and fitness.

“We are always looking for fun new products to enhance our golf experience and The Golf Bike really caught our attention,” said Director of Golf Clark Sinclair.“These specially prepared golf bikes should heighten the fitness experience of a round at Palmetto Dunes.”

The Golf Bike, available at all three courses, will cost the same amount as a golf cart. Golfers interested in using a Golf Bike during their rounds at Palmetto Dunes can reserve one when making their tee time reservation.

Built from the ground up to play golf, The Golf Bike’s step-thru frame allows golfers to easily get on and off the bike. The bike holds up to 14 clubs and supplies are integrated into the frame of the bike, making it stable and easy to balance. The bike’s wide tires and small diameter wheels make for easy acceleration with less impact to the course than a motorized cart.

In 2010, the first prototype Golf Bike was designed and then presented at the 2013 PGA Show’s Inventors Spotlight. Some courses tested the bikes last year before the first 100 of 600 Golf Bikes were delivered this month.

The Golf Bike is yet another Hilton Head Island first and head-turning amenity that’s available at the place Travel and Leisure Magazine called “The Best Family Golf Resort” in the country, on an Island that Golf Digest calls one of its “Top 10 Buddy Trip Destinations.”

Last summer, Palmetto Dunes introduced its exclusive Visage GPS system to the golf carts at the Robert Trent Jones Course that allows for an interactive experience. Previously, it rolled out the most comprehensive, state-of-the-art golf app on Hilton Head Island that allows you to book future rounds and see what else is happening on and off the three courses and was the place that brought golf-outfitted Segways to the Island a few years ago.

For more information about Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort and its many golf packages, call 877-567-6513 or visit www.PalmettoDunes.com.

The weather is getting warmer and golfers everywhere are flocking to their favorite golf courses to test their skills and enjoy the greens in their pristine condition. Professional golfers are gearing up for major tournaments and we cannot wait to follow their every move on our favorite sports shows, networks and on social media. In honor of the major tournaments, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is excited to announce a new contest series, the “Major Golf Challenge”!

For each of the major golf tournaments, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort will hold a contest on social media where the winner will be awarded a free round of golf on any of our three world-class golf courses. All you have to do is like Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Facebook and comment on our “Major Golf Challenge” Post with your prediction of who will win the tournament and their winning score. Guess correctly – and you win! It is that easy. Contest details below. Good luck and happy predictions golf fans!

The “Major Golf Challenge” will run four times a year directly prior to the first round of The U.S. Open, The Open Championship, The PGA Championship and The Masters. See contest dates above. Enter to win by commenting the winner’s name and score on the “Major Golf Challenge” Post on Facebook before the deadline. Up to four winners will be chosen based on time of entry. Winners will be presented with a certificate for a free round of golf on any of the golf courses at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. Round is subject to availability and some restrictions may apply. Only one winner per foursome may redeem their certificate.

What do you love about Spring in lowcountry? Maybe it’s seeing the flowers bloom, or enjoying a leisurely bike ride on a warm day. Spring is perfect weather for golf and tennis, or to simply lounge by the pool. What we love about Spring is seeing your incredible vacation photos!

We asked you to share your photos with us on social media by tagging them #PalmettoDunes, and you delivered! Here are five of our favorites from the month of April.

Instagramer @cherylgirl36 snapped this photo during a scavenger hunt. Sounds like fun!

John F. Kennedy once said “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike.” We couldn’t agree more! Bikes are fun, relaxing, and a great way to explore the resort. Instagramer @101ThingsILove rented a bike during her Spring Break, and shared this great photo!

Did you know that you can rent your bike in advance from Hilton Head Outfitters? They’ll even deliver it to your vacation rental, and pick it up when you’re done.

Another favorite Springtime activity is tennis! Not only is tennis a great workout, it’s also a fun social activity. Instagramer @artnsole shared this photo from her visit to the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center.

Check out this action shot! Instagramer @meegsmcswain shared this photo and said “Great day for some golf at #PalmettoDunes!”

Tennis, biking and golf are great, but sometimes you just want to relax and catch a few rays. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there, too. Palmetto Dunes features three miles of pristine beachfront. This Instagram by @tranix9624 says it all!

Thanks to everyone who shared their photos with us! Don’t forget, tag your photos with #PalmettoDunes on Instagram and Twitter to share them with us, or come find us on Facebook! We’ll highlight five more photos next month.